Related:

Living the Christian life to the full

So often when we hear the word 'vocation', we tend to think of vocations to priesthood or religious life, but every single Christian is called by virtue of our Baptism; every one of us has a 'vocation' or special mission from the Lord according to our particular state of life.

As we pray for vocations, we want to encourage people to reflect on the dignity of Christian marriage and the beauty of living together in a Christian family.

Single life has its special place and circumstances and is also an avenue of grace, an opportunity for service. And of course, we want to encourage more people to take seriously the possibility that God is calling them to the priesthood and/or religious life. The important thing for all of us is a commitment to serve, to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed.

At World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne, Pope Benedict XVI said that: "Anyone who has discovered Christ must lead others to him. A great joy cannot be kept to oneself. It has to be passed on."

In 2006, the Diocese celebrated a very successful Vocations Congress; it was an opportunity, not only to look seriously at how we respond to the call to be a disciple of Jesus that was given by God to each of us at our Baptism, but to discern ways that we can encourage each other in the living of our particular vocations. For "when we are whom we are called to be, we will set the world ablaze". (St Catherine of Siena)